Lab Journal Entry #35

[matril]

"Wedding Planning"

Int., Tori’s bedroom. TORI is at her desk, head bent over a magazine. Her eyes are red from crying.

TORI
No one is expecting a party now. Not even my father. But we have to pretend to be happy, at least, for his sake. (Flips a page) All these dresses are so gaudy. (Flips a few more pages, then throws away magazine in disgust)

After Hannah’s funeral, we told my father we wanted to get married quietly and simply, as soon as possible. He had no objections. He assumes we’re trying to grab hold of some kind of happiness in the middle of all this tragedy.

That’s not entirely untrue. The fact that Eli is still standing by me, right now, might by the only thing keeping me from falling apart. We’re not happy, but we’re...together.

Soft knock at the door. TORI turns

TORI
Come in.

ELI
(Enters, dressed in tuxedo) Well?

TORI
It’s good. Did you rent it?

ELI
No, your dad bought it for me. He insisted on it.

TORI
Yeah, he wants to buy the dress for me too. If only I didn’t hate every one I looked at.

ELI
Tori...

TORI
I know. It’s no time to be picky. I just didn’t expect that having simple tastes would make it impossible to find –

ELI
No, it’s not that. (Pause) Do you really think this will work? Confronting the creature at our own convenience? I’m afraid it’s smarter than that. What if it decides to attack you before then, preemptively?

TORI
That’s why you’ve hardly left me alone for a minute ever since Hannah was killed.

ELI
Yes.

TORI
And I’ve been thinking the same thing. That’s why I haven’t objected to it. And that’s why I’ve been watching news reports for unexplained murders or other acts of violence. I can’t believe it hasn’t started on a rampage. And yet, as far as I can tell, that is exactly what’s happening. Or rather, what isn’t happening.

ELI
So what now?

TORI
We continue with our plans. Assuming nothing changes, the wedding will happen on Thursday. And then – then we’ll see.

Impulsively, ELI pulls TORI to her feet and hugs her as if his life depends on it.